SHOKO KOIKE

Shoko Koike was born in 1943 in Beijing, China. She is one of Japan’s greatest ceramists and enjoys an international reputation. Her primary source of inspiration and the recurring theme of her work comes from her love of nature, especially the ocean. Each of her sculptures embodies not only the grace and beauty, but also the power of the elements that inspire her.

The zig-zags and pointed and grooved outer surface of shell-shaped works or sandstone firestone flowers are made using sand and Shigaraki clay. Koike then covers each piece with layers of creamy white or deep anthracite, along with touches of lavender blue or turquoise glaze covering the background of each work.

Her works feature in major private collections and have been exhibited in numerous museum exhibitions such as the Crocker in Sacramento and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Japan Society and the Torno Museum in Tokyo. Shoko Koike has received the top award from the Japanese Ceramic Society and two TV programmes have been entirely devoted to her work.